Entry level racing for an old guy!!!

Your post contains two sub-parts. The easy one is what category to race in. The harder one is how to avoid making an a** of yourself. First, the easy one. In all likelihood there is a racing club in your area. Your local bike shop should be able to give you the contact info. They probably have a website with upcoming races in your area. Virtually all races have Cat5 (beginners) and most races have multiple masters categories. You can race in either Cat5 or your age-group masters category. At your age, Masters is probably faster than Cat5. You move up to Cat4 by entering 10 races. You move up to Cat3 and above by earning points in races. Each successive category gets faster.

Now, for how to avoid making an a** of yourself. You can ride a time trial. This requires no peleton skills and you don't get dropped. You just go as fast as you can against the watch. Mass start races are more complex. There are two classes of riders in mass start races: (1) those who can stay with the front group; and (2) those who get dropped. Those who get dropped aren't really racing, they're paying a fee for a fast-paced training ride. To learn to stay with the group in front, you need to train with other racers. Ask around and find out when and where a group of racers rides their training rides. Ask if you can tag along. Most racers don't mind at all. You'll get dropped initially. If you stay with it and work hard, eventually you'll be able to stay with them. This will teach you everything you need to know about how to ride fast with a group with tight spacing. When you can stay with them, even on the climbs, you're ready to race. Good luck and let us know how you did after your first race.

markwill said:

So, I have thoroughly enjoyed getting into cycling (road only) over the past year or so. I am just frustrated that it took until my early 40's!!!! What a waste of the last 2-3 decades :-)

I read an article in last months Bicycling magazine that one should try at least one race in one's lifetime :-) I am all up for that - just to see whether I enjoy it and how I fare - but, by the same token, don't want to make a complete *** of myself.

To that end, what's the best way to get into this for an "older guy" such as myself? I don't know anything about category 5, 4, etc stuff and how age groups are factored in.

In a nutshell, where do I start?

Thanks.
Mark

My husband is a beginner racer (in his 30's) here in Seattle too. This is what I can recall off of the top of my head specifc to racing around the area.

Here in WA state the Masters category for Men usually allows in men over 30 (some races are over 35, which is the national standard for Masters) From what my husband says these races are usually a bit tamer than the 4/5 (beginner) races as the participants are often more experienced and have more regard for their bodies than younger guys.

Most races require you to have a WA state license, but I think you can buy a one day license on the day of the race when you register.

If you are concerned about riding in a pack, you can try a Time Trial first. In a time trial its just you and the clock. There is one more in the series that is run in Auburn, called the Gear Push Time Trial, in August. If you are ambitious you can try a hillclimb. The Denny Creek Hill climb is a time trial, The Mt. Baker Hill Climb is a mass start, but it thins out quickly so you don't have to worry about group riding really. At Mt. Baker you can enter competetively or non-competitively, just for the experience of it - 24miles 4,300 feet.

If you are confident enough to ride with a pack you can try a criterium at Seward Park in Seattle. They are held every Thusday afternoon at the upper loop of Seward Park. At 5:00 they have a clinic and a mini race for people who have never ridden a criterium before. These races are generally pretty hard and it is no shame, in fact you should expect, to be dropped the first time you try it.

If you are interested in joining a team, in the fall there are "Meet the Team" rides. Some teams are selective, some teams you can join by paying the fees and buying the uniform.

A good resource to find out about local races is the First Rate Mortgages team web site pazzovelo.comeventsOpen ↗ , and for more general information the Washington State Bicycle Association wsbaracing.comwsbaracing.comOpen ↗

hopes that's a good start for you, please feel free to email me/my husband as well.
Eden

Ideally, before you try road racing or criteriums you should have the skills and practice at riding fast in a tight group. You get this by group training or even racing and taking it carefully in a category that is physically easy for you. Entering time trials is the obvious start point though as it requires the lowest level of bike skill and will also give you a bit of an idea of where you fit in re your physical ability.

Good Luck Jay.

Mark: I have a similar story, waited way too long to discover bike racing. (I'm over 50) I had the same concerns as you, to avoid making a fool of myself. I started riding with a local club several years ago (a non-competitive cycling club) and developed some endurance and pace line skills. I wanted to start doing some racing, so I started riding along with the local race team. It took over a year before I could complete even a relatively short ride (20 miles or so) without getting dropped. I waited to join the team until I could ride with them without getting dropped on even longer rides to avoid being a "poser". I have now done a few races, in the Cat 5 division. In our area the masters are way faster than the Cat 5, although the cat 5 guys are mostly a lot younger. Good luck!

Assuming that you follow the advice given here and find a group of racers to ride with, there are three things you should not do. One, don't overlap your front wheel and the back wheel of the guy you're drafting. If he swerves, you'll go down in a heartbeat and probably take a couple of other guys down with you. Two, don't draft too closely when you start up a hill. The guy you're drafting might get off his saddle to climb, causing a momentary loss of speed; you'll overlap his wheel and go down. Three, you'll see the more experienced riders pointing out things to avoid (holes, glass, etc.) with one or the other of their hands. You'll want to be like "one of the boys" and do the same. Don't. Keep both hands on your bars until you're very, very comfortable riding in a tight group at high speed. Causing a crash and damaging a guy's $7K bike is not exactly the best way to extend your welcome.

Too much to learn here:

fast track to avoid bad habits, gain skill and proper training methods:

1) get mentoring by experienced racers (Cat 1,2,3)

2) find your local velodrome and do 3-5 Saturday sessions (bring your pedals and rent their fixed gear bike) You will learn super fast in this safe and controlled environment

3) Do lots of group rides to become familiar with the changing tempos===accelerations, draft, and alos put your nose into the wind from time to time, then rotate off w/o sudden movements.

4) Be safe and smooth

5) Masters 1,2,3 races often are the fastest of the day, and include National, District and World Champions. You will not see them them much after the first prime bell is rung.

6) The Cat 4 & 5 are genrally younger, but very inexperienced----they are also disorganized and tend to chase down all attacks immediately so it becomes a drag race whenever a long hill presents itself.

Lots of crashes in these groups whaeras Masters riders are generally very experienced and take corners much faster (single file at 30-35 mph) thus making overlapped wheels an impossiblity.

7) find a coach and/or a experienced racer ride buddy

8) have lots of fun, that much I guarantee.